5 Smartest Vampire Movies

The Swedish original to the 2010 American remake follows Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant), a 12-year-old bullied boy who finds friendship with the mysterious Eli (Lina Leandersson) who turns out to be a vampire. “Let the Right One In” reinvigorated the hackneyed vampire genre by blending a poignant young love story with moments of sophisticated horror. It’s hard to label the film as outright horror or drama since it uses both in such new ways to create a truly beautiful film.

When you mix a story based on Bram Stoker’s classic 1897 novel and Francis Ford Coppola, you’re bound to get a masterpiece of a film. Coppola’s adaptation brought elegance and lavishness to the vampire genre, which accumulated much campiness over the years. Starring Gary Oldman as the Count, Anthony Hopkins as Van Helsing, and Winona Ryder as Mina, the film’s grand spectacles make it an unforgettable achievement of cinematic horror.

Before Kathryn Bigelow won Oscars for “The Hurt Locker” she made her solo directing debut with “Near Dark,” a cowboy-vampire hybrid. The film follows Caleb (Adrian Pasdar), who is turned into a vampire and must eventually choose between his real family and his new fanged family. Starring Bill Paxton and Lane Henriksen, Bigelow’s film is a unique addition to the genre for blending the romanticism of classic Westerns with the dark eroticism of vampire stories.

From Xan Cassavetes (daughter of famous director John Cassavetes), “Kiss of the Damned” follows Djuna (Joséphine de La Baume), a vampire who attempts to resist her passion for a human but soon turns him into one of her own. However, problems arise for the whole fanged community when Djuna’s trouble-maker sister unexpectedly shows up. Cassavetes film is noteworthy for exchanging gore for mature sexuality with a sophisticated and sultry approach. “Kiss of the Damned” is also one of the few films that focuses on a female vampire, something we can’t help but love.

Neil Jordan’s “Interview With the Vampire,” based on the novel of the same name by Anne Rice, follows the story of a 200-year-old vampire (Brad Pitt) as he recounts his life to a young reporter (Christian Slater). Jordan’s film is most commendable for its gorgeous visuals and seductive tone, which brought a mature stylishness to the story. While the performances are not the best of any of the cast, including Tom Cruise, Jordan's film nonetheless is one of the most poetic adaptations of blood-lusting tales.